A Georgia police officer and a suspect died Thursday night after a traffic stop led to a foot chase and shooting just east of Atlanta, authorities said.
DeKalb County police Chief James Conroy said at a news conference that the unidentified officer and suspect died at an Atlanta hospital following the Thursday evening shooting, according to news outlets.
"Tonight, a DeKalb County Police officer died in the line of duty serving its citizens of DeKalb County," Conroy said.
A police dog was also shot and was listed in critical condition.
Maj. Jerry Lewis Jr. said the shooting followed a traffic stop. Lewis said the suspect fled, shooting the pursuing DeKalb County officer and hiding behind a business. Police said the suspect then shot a police K-9, prompting officers to shoot the suspect.
"I am very proud of the men and women of the police department. They responded to the scene, were able to track the suspect, they did their job," Lewis said, according to WSB-TV .
Conroy said the slain officer had been with the department for less than two years. The suspect was described as a man in his 20s to 30s.
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A witness who was eating inside a nearby restaurant told WSB-TV he heard at least six gunshots.
The Georgia Bureau of Investigation is investigating.
The shooting caused a nearby portion of Interstate 20 to be briefly shut down, leading to rush-hour traffic jams.
